John D. Socknat is the Practice Leader of Ballard Spahr's Mortgage Banking Group. Mr. Socknat uses his knowledge and breadth of the business issues affecting the residential and commercial mortgage banking industries and the legal landscape to advise clients on compliance and licensing matters under state and federal law.

Mr. Socknat performs regulatory compliance due diligence on lenders, servicers, and other settlement service providers; assists with structuring operations and developing compliance programs; and represents clients in state and federal enforcement actions.

Mr. Socknat is a member of the Advisory Council to the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR), and the American, District of Columbia, and Virginia Bar Associations. He is an editor of Mortgage Finance Regulation Answer Book 2011-2012, published by the Practising Law Institute, and author of its “State Law/Preemption” chapter.

Representative Matters

Counseled a client on the regulatory and licensing obligations for a distressed asset disposition platform

Represented a client in connection with state Attorneys General actions related to advertising practices

American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR), Advisory Council

Recognition & Accomplishments

Named a Washington, D.C., Super Lawyer, 2013

Publications

Author, 16.08 section of Chapter 16, The Law of Truth in Lending (an update of Truth in Lending by Ralph J. Rohner and Frederick H. Miller), published by the American Bar Association Business Law Section, July 2014

Editor, Mortgage Finance Regulation Answer Book 2011-2012, published by the Practising Law Institute, and author of the “State Law/Preemption” chapter

Co-author, “Safe Act, Sound Solutions,” The MReport, October 2011

Co-author, “Compliance Crossroads: Technology That Addresses New Regulations Has To Be Designed with the Help of Policy Experts,” Mortgage Technology, August 2011